Muffler and tail pipe tool



June 26,1951 (3. F. ERNST 2,558,242

MUFFLER AND TAIL PIPE TOOL Filed April 19, 1949 FIE-1D.

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ATT'OHNE Y Patented June 26,1951

nuirso srArss PATENT OFFICE MUFFLER AND TAIL PIPE TOOL Cliiford F. Ernst, Sandusky, Ohio Application April 19, 1949, Serial No. 88,363

1 Claim. 01. 30-91) This invention relates to tools for cutting and loosening automobile mufflers from their tail pipes, and an object is to produce a simple and efiicient tool of this character which cuts or slits one of the telescoping tubes without injury to the other. Thus in one form, the tail pipe may be slit in that region telescoping within the muffler pipe but without injury to the muflier pipe, thus enabling the tail pipe to be removed Without difficulty and enabling a new tail pipe to be moun ed in position of use.

In another embodiment of the invention, the tool lends itself to slitting the muflier tube without injury to the telescoped tail pipe so that the tail pipe may subsequently beiused again.

Embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of an automobile muifler and telescoped tail pipe and showing the tool in position of use for slitting the mufiler tube without injury to the tail pipe;

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the working or slitting end portion of the tool;

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the slitting end portion of the tool shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line l4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a front end elevation of the tool;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of an automobile muiiler and tail pipe assembly, showing a portion of the tail pipe slotted to receive an alternate form of tool by which the tail pipe is slit without injury to the muffler tube or flange;

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showi ing an alternate form of tool in position of use for slitting the tail pipe without damaging the mufiler flange or tube;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the slitting end portion of the tool shown in Figure 6, showing particularly the transverse curvature to" fit the inside of the muflier flange; 1

Figure 9 is a front perspective view of a fragment of the slitting end portion of the tool shown on Figures '7 and 8; and

Figure 10 is a transverse sectional view on the line Ill-It of Figure 8.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises an automobile muffler I0 having an integral flange pipe I I with which the tail pipe I2 telescopes in the usual manner. As is well recognized in this art, these telescoped pipes become so bound together due to rust, road grime, etc., that oftentimes an extremely difiicult problem is presented of separating these pipes.

Not infrequently, they become so mutilated during the operation that they are rendered worthless. According to the form of the invention illustrated on Figures 1 to 5, a simple shearing or slitting tool is provided by which the mufiler flange pipe H is slit without damage to the tail pipe so that although the mufiier may have to be discarded, the tail pipe can be reused. As shown, the tool consists of a handle or shank portion I3, and a slitting end portion I4 integrally united to each other. The handle and slitting portions are arranged in parallel relationship but offset laterally from each other by a bend I 5. The slitting end portion I4 consists of an elongate plate I6, the under side ofwhich is curvilinear transversely throughout its length, the contour being such as to fit the outside of the tail pipe I2 and to slide along such surface.

Integral with the plate I6 midway of the upper side projects a rib I? which is of uniform thickness at its upper edge portion throughout its length. The front end of the rib II, in this instance, is inwardly curved as indicated at I8 to provide a cutting or shearing edge which engages the metal of the muffler tube flange I I and progressively slits it. At one side of the shearing edge I8 and slightly rearwardly thereof extends a surface I9 which gently curves rearwardly. The curved surface I9 merges with a flat surface 20 which extends substantially throughout the length of the slitting end portion and is disposed at right angles to the side 2| of the rib I'I. At the opposite side of the rib is a surface 22 which extends rearwardly from the shearing edge I8 to form a plow-like cam surface which operates progressively to curl the portion slit from the flange tube II. The surface 22 merges into an inclined surface 23 which serves laterally to cam the slit portion as the slitting operation advances. It should be noted that the surface 24 of the rib directly in rear of the shearing edge I8 and above the plow-like cam 22 is flat and cooperates in piloting the tool as it progressively shears the metal from the tube flange II.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the under side of the tool rides along the tail pipe I2 without injuring it, the shearing or slitting operation taking place above the tail pipe so that once the tube flange II is sheared or slitted sufficiently, the tail pipe I 2 may be readily removed.

In the form of the invention illustrated on Figures 6 to 10, the tail pipe I2a is slitted without injury to the muffler tube flange I la. In this case, the tail pipe I2a is first formed with a slot 25 by means of a chisel or other suitable instrument. The length of the slot 25 should be sufficient to enable the slitting end portion Ma of the tool to be inserted. This tool is similar to that above described, except reversed or the plate 15a has its upper side curved transversely throughout its length, the curvature being such as to fit the inside of the tube flange Ha so that the surface l6a rides along the inner surface of the tube flange Ha throughout the operation of slitting the tail pipe l2a. Thus the riding surface lBa is convex whereas the riding surface on the plate IS in the tool illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 is concave in cross section. The working or slitting side of the tool illustrated on Figures 6 to 10 is similar to that above described so that detail description is not considered necessary. In this tool, it will be manifest that the slot 25 must first be formed in the tail pipe lZa adjacent the tube flange I la and this slot must be of sufficient length to enable the slitting end portion of the tool to be inserted before the slitting of the tail pipe directly beneath the tube flange Ha is started. Thereafter, the slitting can be easily accomplished, it being merely necessary, as in the tool above described, to use a hammer against the opposite end of the tool and progressively slit the tube until the tail pipe can be freed from the mufller tube flange.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 to 10, the same reference numerals are used but with the exponent a to designate like parts.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claim.

The words tail pipe used in the specification and claim shall also include the exhaust pipe which is connected to the front end of the mufher.

What I claim is:

A tool for slitting one of a pair of telescoped cylindrical pipes while utilizing the other one of the pair as a guide pipe, said tool comprising a handle portion and a slitting end portion, said handle portion being parallel to but offset laterally from the slitting end portion, the slitting end portion including an elongate plate member having one face transversely curved throughout its length such as to be adapted to fit and slide over the curved surface of the guide pipe, a rib projecting at substantially right angles from the other face of the plate member extending longitudinally and substantially centrally thereof and with the outer edge portion of uniform thickness throughout, said plate member having a cutting edge at the front thereof, a substantially up and down cutting edge at the front of said rib, one side of said rib being flat and straight whereby to engage against one edge of the slit being out, the plate surface adjacent the flat side of the rib being fiat and straight and being at right angles thereto whereby to serve as a guide member for engaging beneath the pipe being slit, a plow-like cam surface on the plate member lying on the opposite side of said rib, said cam surface being arranged rearwardly of said cutting edge, the surface continuing rearwardly from the rear and highest point of said cam surface being transversely concave and merging with the rib and plate to cooperate in piloting the tool during the slitting operation.

CLIFFORD F. ERNST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,598,458 Sullivan Aug. 31, 1926 1,719,449 Ranko July 2, 1929 2,199,380 Walraven May '7, 1940 2,490,565 Williams Dec. 6, 1949 

